Marine Life & Conservation
Recent updates about the Shark situation in South East Asia
![](https://www.scubaverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Untitled-4.jpg)
As we all know an approximate number of 100 million sharks are killed every year to support the demand for shark fin soup, mainly from countries in South East Asia.
In China the growing middle class are craving to eat this dish which was classified as a traditional wedding treat and served at state banquets; however, many Chinese hotels like Shangri-La has recently banned the soup from their regular menu and many other high class restaurants in the neighboring countries are following suit.
BAD NEWS
Last week terrible news came from one of Hong Kong´s conservationists groups – a whale shark factory was found that processed over 600 Whale Sharks annually. These giant animals are hunted not only because of their valuable fins but also for their liver. A shark liver can be a third of the size of a sharks body and the oil is an essential ingredient in the preparation of cosmetics like lipsticks and creams.
Alex Hofford and Paul Hilton of WildLifeRisk, the conservationists group that discovered the factory, said:
“How these harmless creatures, these gentle giants of the deep, can be slaughtered on such an industrial scale is beyond belief, and all for human vanity; lipsticks, face creams, health supplements, shark fin soup restaurants. We firmly believe the trade must stop, and it must stop now, or else these animals will eventually face extinction.”
When resources run scarce, old battles resurface; China is again debating with surrounding countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei over South China Sea fishing rights.
China has imposed a new law that bans foreign vessels in “Beijing claimed areas” and the Philippines has said this is illegal and a serious threat to the peace in the area, since China claims almost the entire South China Sea as their own. The Philippines has tried to arbitrate under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea) to make Chinas claim illegal.
Chinese official sources said “the fisheries conservation regulations had been issued and published by China since the 1980s. There was no reaction from the Philippines then and yet these are the very same rules that are being attacked today.”
To be continued….
In other areas in the Philippines, Marine Biologists are criticizing fisherman over their new method of making money; they are “hand feeding” whale sharks in order to attract tourists.
This practice has become highly popular, and since sightings of these giants is practically guaranteed, the fishermen can earn a lot more money and spend less time working too.
The Marine biologists claim this practice disturbs the whale shark’s natural behavior and increases disease and parasites, and they are conducting a study to observe the change over time.
These kind of stories where conservation only takes place when there is a demand or monetary interest will unfortunately become more common in the future.
But isn’t it better to have the whale shark hand fed than in whale shark fin soup?
GOOD NEWS
Indonesia has created the country’s first shark and manta ray sanctuary. Created at the beginning of 2013 and based in Raja Ampat, it’s the first in the Coral Triangle. 6 months later, Komodo with it´s 7,000 sq km has also joined other areas of Indonesia to protect its sharks and rays.
Indonesia is an important country because it’s one of the world’s biggest fisher and exporter of sharks, so the sanctuaries are extremely vital for the area and a good sign of a will to save wildlife for tourism (as sharks and rays bring in more for money alive then dead).
The Sultanate of Brunei has become the first Asian country to ban shark finning, effective from January 2014. Routine checks on establishments will be conducted to ensure the ban is followed.
The Sultan Hassanai Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah has banned the catch and landing of all shark species from the waters of Brunei Darussalam, as well as shark fin sales in the domestic market, and the importation and trade of shark products.
This is a law that has not even been achieved in countries like the United States, so for an Asian country this is very progressive.
Shark meat used to be sold at the market at very cheap prices, only the fins are more expensive and most of the times already sold before reaching the market.
Photos taken before the implementation of the law for shark Finnning, Fish market, Jerudong , Brunei Darussalam in December 2013.
Neighboring areas to Brunei like Northern Sabah are trying to follow the steps of Brunei, but the Southern region of Sarawak is far from acknowledging this law. The general manager of the Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation Division Oswald Braken Tisen said recently:
“Not all sharks are protected species, and selling of shark’s fin and consuming it is still not against the law.”
The Shark experts’ opinions are unanimous: “Laws to restrict trade will mean little unless there are total bans on fishing.”
After checking up on how the new law about shark protection is affecting the fish market in Jerudong in Brunei Darussalam, I attach these two pictures from the 6th of February.
Sharks are still openly displayed on the counter, some still with their fins, and some guitar fish without fins. I have tried to reach the Ministry´s fisheries for a comment but they are still busy with Chinese New Year celebration and are proving difficult to reach.
I’ll try again next week….
Marine Life & Conservation
Reef-World launch new toolkit in response to the current global coral bleaching event
![coral bleaching](https://www.scubaverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GF-Global-Coral-Bleaching-Toolkit.png)
The Reef-World Foundation – international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative – has launched a new coral bleaching toolkit in response to the 4th global coral bleaching event confirmed by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) in April 2024.
The Green Fins Global Coral Bleaching Response Toolkit provides guidance to the marine tourism industry on how they can help manage and monitor the impacts of coral bleaching and get involved in recovery efforts. It features information about coral bleaching, including the causes, impacts and response strategies. The toolkit is compiled from a variety of readily available resources from multiple organizations and initiatives, such as ICRI, Coral Reef Alliance, Reef Check and NOAA, along with Green Fins materials, to ensure it is accessible to everyone. These resources cover methods for reducing local impacts, monitoring the reefs and engaging tourists and local communities.
The El Niño phenomenon has been present since February 2023, which has led to persistently warmer temperatures being experienced around the world and has affected the sea surface temperatures. Coral bleaching has been recorded in all ocean regions ever since. While this event is widespread and serious, there is still hope as bleached corals are not dead corals. Corals can survive bleaching events and thrive if they are given the time to adapt to the changing climate.
“Coral reefs are under a huge amount of stress every day and that reduces their chance of recovery from bleaching events,” said Chloe Harvey, Executive Director at The Reef-World Foundation. “However, this time around the scientists have been watching the data closely, so we’re prepared. We understand what it means and we know what we need to do to respond to it. This global event calls for global action to protect these vital ecosystems for generations to come.”
By equipping the industry with the necessary knowledge and tools, Reef-World hopes to empower these key stakeholders to play a crucial role in preserving the health and resilience of our precious coral reef ecosystems. Reef-World believes that with the right resources, the marine tourism industry can be a driving force in the fight against coral bleaching and contribute significantly to the long-term sustainability of marine environments.
With this momentum, other key players in the industry, such as PADI AWARE Foundation and NOAA, have gotten on board the campaign for more citizen scientists to help out in monitoring coral bleaching. With the toolkit available to all, The Reef-World Foundation is looking forward to more collaborative actions in the industry.
Explore the toolkit on Green Fins’ website: greenfins.net/coral-bleaching
Marine Life & Conservation
The Ocean Cleanup making San Francisco port call in September
![the ocean cleanup](https://www.scubaverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-1.jpg)
A real solution for an environmental catastrophe is in reach
Six years after setting sail for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), we have developed the cleanup technology to relegate the patch to the history books.
On 6 September 2024, The Ocean Cleanup will return to San Francisco, where founder and CEO Boyan Slat will provide an update in which he will announce what is needed in terms of time, money and efforts to eradicate the GPGP.
To confirm your presence, please RSVP to press@theoceancleanup.com
PROGRAM
- Press conference: CEO and founder Boyan Slat will announce the next phase of the cleanup of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
- Interviews: opportunities to interview Boyan Slat (CEO & founder), Joël Jansen (Director of Oceans), Arjen Tjallema (Director of Technology) and Matthias Egger (Director of Environmental and Social Affairs)
- Vessels & technology: visit our two iconic ships, take a look at extraction System 03 and see the extracted plastic up-close and personal*
*Limited availability; RSVP soon to press@theoceancleanup.com
PRACTICALITIES
Date: September 6, 2024
Press conference: 12 pm (noon) / doors open 11.30 am
Location: The Exploratorium (Google Maps)
Pier 15 (Embarcadero at Green Street), San Francisco, CA
Parking: Visit The Exploratorium’s website for details
RSVP: press@theoceancleanup.com
Press kit: a press kit will be shared afterwards
To find out more about the Ocean Cleanup, visit www.theoceancleanup.com.
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